


Jitter

by SleepyStargazer



Series: Gravity Falls [2]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Age Difference, Alcohol, Asexuality Spectrum, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Best Friends are Basically Siblings, Chapter titles inspired by music, Doll is a Self-Insert, F/F, F/M, Gen, Go look at Curiosity, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I'm Bad At Titles, Mainly about Stan and Doll, Misunderstandings, Multi, My First Work in This Fandom, Non-binary Reader - Freeform, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-Weirdmageddon, Protective Siblings, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Insert, Self-Worth Issues, Sibling Love, Social Anxiety, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, Texting, This ship being the Ford/Reader of Curiosity, Touchy-Feely, Video Cameras, Video Chats, World Travel, demisexual OC, i suck at descriptions, shameless self-insert, this is a fanfiction of a fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:01:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23075932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepyStargazer/pseuds/SleepyStargazer
Summary: He sent the butterflies slumbering inside her stomach crazy with little effort—a smile here or something so him there, and he left her feeling jittery every single time. It was a heady sensation, but it wasn’t one she was against feeling again and again. No, it was something that she would, if given the chance, happily throw herself into with abandon.But that was an enormous ‘if,’ wasn’t it? Why would he be interested in a child of people as a partner? She was young enough to be his daughter, his granddaughter even. But she liked him, like-liked him if she were to be even more child-like with her thoughts. They were her thoughts, she was allowed to be childish.And, if in her thoughts she admitted to her infatuation with Stanley Pines, well, that was her own business.
Relationships: Doll & Avery Goodfellow, Ford Pines/Reader, Stan Pines/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Gravity Falls [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1674571
Kudos: 6
Collections: Loving Mysteries





	1. Happy

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Curiosity](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22706479) by [Life_sans_Sin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Life_sans_Sin/pseuds/Life_sans_Sin). 



> This is a shameless, approved fanfiction of a fanfiction that's also, like, being connected to the main fic? All I know is that Brit is amazing, a lifesaver, and I love their writing to death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title Song: _Happy_ by Pharrell Williams
> 
> Other songs were: _I'm Ready_ by AJR, _Geronimo_ by So You Say, and _Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars)_ by Mark Ronson

**Jitter [ jit-er ]**

_verb_ (used without object)- to behave nervously.

 _related-_ disco, waltz, rock, samba, tango

* * *

A camera clicked to life and focused on a young, green-haired woman as she rubbed a grey cloth across the lense of her glasses. Her tongue peeked from between her lips as she focused on carefully rubbing away the smudges and dust clinging to the lenses. The cameraman—or, more accurately, the camerawoman—chuckled to herself as the camera zoomed in on the subject. 

“Hey, Doll, give us a hello!” the woman told ‘Doll’.

Looking up, she blinked owlishly at the camera and continued her cleaning. “Hello? Are you filming already, Avery?”

“No, absolutely not. Why would I ask for a hello, huh?” Avery snorted, zooming back out slowly. “What’s the plan for today? Actually, where in the world are we?”

Doll, in a way only a mature adult could, stuck her tongue out at Avery and slipped her glasses back onto her face. She huffed, then grinned. “Today, we’re on day eight of our world tour! We just got into Maui, Hawaii, yesterday night. The big plans are heading to see the rainbow trees, the ocean center, the black sand beach and the lava tubes, the Hana Highway, and Hana Town itself! I’m really excited to see the rainbow trees; did you know they look like something out of a fantasy? Like Mother Nature painted them with the colors of the rainbow herself?” The young woman rocked in place, barely containing her glee. “Oh, and just imagine seeing the Falls! Or the Garden of Eden Botanical Arboretum? Did you know they actually shot the opening to Jurassic Park there?”

“Didn’t know ‘bout the Jurassic Park bit, but fuck knows my laptop shows those trees as a screensaver once a week.” The camera shook a little bit. “So, what kind a’ trees are they? Do y’know, or will it stump ya?”

“They’re Eucalyptus trees! When we go down the Highway, we’ll find them along the way. What are your plans while we’re here, Avery?”

“Once we’re done today, we’re going out and someone’s getting laid. I swear, so help me, someone’s getting laid,” she paused, then added, “or gettin’ the shit befriended outta ‘em. Ya sure ya don’t wanna have a stand?”

“Yup!” Doll said, cheerfully popping the ‘p’. “You have fun with the sexing, Avey. I won’t touch that with a stick.”

“What ‘bout a dildo?”

“Pass.” 

“A vibe?”

She rolled her eyes. “Pass that vibe check, please!”

The camera shook as Avery laughed, the sound warm and accompanied by a loud snort at the end. Another sound, a loud, wet raspberry, followed behind it all. It was a sight and sound Doll easily returned.

“Dweeb.”

“Dork.”

Avery snorted. “I ain’t a whale’s dick, sugarpop.”

“Oh, says who?” Doll snickered.

“Says me!”

-

“—ook, this is so amazing! Avery, do you see this?” the green-haired woman squealed as she motioned towards the black sand beach and the bright blue waves crashing on the shore. She seemed unperturbed by the crowds of people both sunning on the shore or swimming in the sea. “This is beautiful! Just _beautiful_. Can you imagine, just, what it would have been like being the first to find this? Or—or if you were to come here and there was a mermaid swimming near the shallows?”

Doll rocked on the balls of her heels and hugged herself tightly, her hands flexing into the fabric of her pale purple tank-top. “This is _perfect._ So perfect. What do you think?”

Avery chuckled. “It’s gorgeous. Hella better than the Anclote beach, bluer than it too.” The camera shook as she walked closer to her short companion and, easily, used her head as a makeshift tripod. “Any random fact for us now, or did ya spend them all at the Arboretum?”

“Um… oh! The sand’s made from ocean-weathered lava flows, and I think they say the black sand’s a lot hotter than white sand is. I mean, that should be clear? The darker the color, the more light absorbs, if I remember right.” The camera jostled as the human tripod mumbled to herself. “Pre’ sure s’why we wear darks in winter and lights in summer, usually. Mostly. The sane people, really.”

“I’m feelin’ attacked here, brat. Ya implyin’ I ain’t sane?” Avery teased.

“You wear shorts, flop-flops, and tanks in single digits in winter. I’m not implying anything, I’m saying it _outright;_ you’re absolutely batty!” The camera jerked upwards, the beach scenery blurring into the sky, as Avery shouted. She reset the focus, catching a cackling Doll running towards the shoreline like a bat out of hell, only to trip over her own feet and fall face-first into the surface.

Snorting, Avery muttered to herself (and the camera), “So talented.” Then, she raised her voice and shouted, “How’s the surf taste, Doll?”

The chatter from the other beach goers, the crashing waves, and distant birds murmured through the video as she slowly sauntered down to the other woman and waited for a response. Doll pushed herself up onto her knees, exaggeratedly gagged, before hollering back, “Salt and happiness!”

“What?” She laughed.

“Salty happiness!” Doll repeated once again, then threw herself into the blue water with a whoop of excitement.

Avery recorded Doll heading further from the shallows and, from what could be seen, kneel in the water. She turned the camera around and tanned brunette with the bluest of eyes filled the recording. “And that, everybody, was Doll. We’re gonna hang here for a while, look into those lava tunnels she mentioned ‘long the way and chill ‘fore we get on the road for another hike.” She paused. “More like I’ll swim and the teacup’s gonna attempt to _not_ drown herself for once. I fuckin’ swear, those air bags of hers’re faulty as fuck. We’ll pick back up ‘round an hour from now back on the road. See ya’ll later.”

The video ended with her grinning widely and lazily saluting the camera. In the background, Doll could be heard calling for Avery before it cut off.

-

The sound of wind blowing across the microphone filled the background as the camera captured the winding, green-filled landscape from the passenger side of the Jeep. The blue of the ocean peeked out every other turn, a sweet teasing sight along the horizon. Cars passed each other by with low grumbles and groans, their drivers careful along the serpentine roadway to the point Avery pulled to the side to let them pass by.

“God, this is gorgeous,” Avery’s voice came over the video, a reverent hush of coloring her words. “I’m gonna miss all this green when we go, Doll. Ya smell it, right? It’s… god, it makes me wish I could give Mother Nature some special thanks for it.”

“You just wanna fuck her.” Doll huffed, then sighed. “I get it. I really get it. Do… do you think we could come back later? Y’know, to… fall in love all over again?”

A quiet fell between the two travellers. It was a pleasant, peaceful quiet, only broken by the wind and occasional car.

“I’d like that, squirt,” Avery said after a moment. “I’d like that a lot.”

The video jerked briefly as the Jeep bounced over something in the road. Another silence began its descent, only to halt as Doll spoke again. “Can we turn on the radio?”

A soft click, barely caught by the camera, preceded the end of a peppy, State Farm commercial. A fast paced, cheerful intro followed behind it, and the smooth voice of Pharrell Williams filled the car.

_“It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say. Sunshine she's here, you can take a break. I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space. With the air, like I don't care, baby, by the way. Huh, because I’m happy…”_

The video bopped along with the camera as the woman began to sing along, Doll’s voice cracking every so often as some notes grew higher than her pitch could go. “...Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof! Because I’m happy, clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth!”

“Because I’m happy, clap along if you know what happiness is to you! Because I'm happy, clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do!” Avery returned with a voice like smoke and velvet. “Here comes bad news, talking this and that. Well, give me all you got, and don't hold it back. Well, I should probably warn you I'll be just fine; no offense to you, don't waste your time. Here's why—”

 _“Because I’m happy!”_ the duo sang loudly, before descending into careless, joyful laughter.

The video blurred together before turning black, still recording the jubilant pair singing their hearts out and shooting the breeze. It ends abruptly at some point, amidst a conversation about their plans after their trip. A sad end to a joyful video, yet still more was to come.

After the camera was charged, of course.

-

_Avery's P.O.V_

“Avery!” The aforementioned woman heard Doll whine, her friend’s voice trembling as she forced the word out. She glanced at her through the vanity’s mirror, delicately coating her lashes with mascara and avoiding poking her eye again. Call her a bad person, a terrible friend, but it was hilarious (once she brushed past the annoyance simmering behind it) how easily Doll worked herself up over the littlest things. “Help?!”

Rolling her eyes, Avery huffed and stuck her mascara back in its tube. “Patience, young ‘hopper. Go wash those nerves off, I’ll pick somethin’ for ya.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Doll chanted hurriedly.

Geez, the things she did for that midget. She turned her torso to the right, then watched her sister tug nervously on the short, fading green curls at the base of her neck and stare at the pile of clothes burying her bed. She snickered as the young woman fled to the bathroom with naught but a towel and a distinct lack of clothing besides pale blue panties on her body.

“Don’t… don’t make it uncomfortable, please?”

“Cross my heart, poppet.” Avery snorted. She knew Doll’s tastes well enough—not too tight that it makes her rather generous tits try to pop out, not too loose that it threatens to slip off with a shrug, shorts can’t stop below her flat ass, and comfort outweighs sex appeal if it comes down to it (which was always), to name a few. “Just shower already, unless ya want me t’leave ya t’pickin’ out your own clothes.”

“Going!” Doll yelped, jerking the door shut with a loud bang. She shook her head as the door creaked open slowly, a quietly muttered apology slipping through the crack. 

As she heard the shower start, a cruel thought crossed her mind and lingered on the tip of her tongue. Avery snickered to herself and shook her head. She wasn’t that cruel—no, wait, what was she saying?

_She was that cruel._

“Hey, don’t forget to shave your legs,” she called out with a wicked grin. It grew as she added, “And your cooch, if you’re gonna be, dare I suggest it, _daringly sexy!”_

A loud clattering sound and a broken wail of her name resounded from the bathroom following her suggestion. Avery sniggered to herself as she reached for the tube of golden, glitter filled gloss and touched up her lips. She was too easy to embarrass, and it was an older sister’s (and best friend’s) job to take ruthless advantage of it—in her opinion, of course.

And, also in her opinion, it was the only opinion that mattered on that.

Still, she worried about Doll. She was a nervous, confused thing on the best of days; who’d help keep an eye on her? Who’d make sure she left her house? Who’d help her on those bad days and she—

“Soo, where’re we going?” Doll’s voice derailed that vicious worry-train she had been boarding before it left the station. Avery shook her head slowly and pushed her seat back with a groan. “Is it gonna be loud?”

“It’s a surprise, Dollie,” she called back as she walked over to Doll’s bed, looking over the already exposed clothes with an appraising once-over. “But, yeah, it’s probably loud. Crowded, too, if the reviews mean shit, but you’ll like it, promise. The name’s a shitty joke, for one. If ya don’t like it, then I ain’t forcin’ ya into another and ya can stay back with those books of yours—no complaints or fussin’ from me. Just give it a chance, even if it’s just for me and this once.”

Avery sifted through the pile of clothes, eyeing up the black and minty corset before tossing it aside and picking up a dark purple sweater with the ‘Welcome to Nightvale’ eye printed on it. She shook her head, then tossed it aside too. Too hot for dancing in Hawaii, or dancing in general.

“I won’t have to get drunk?”

She stiffened and shook her head in an aborted motion. “Nah, ya can get water or some pop. Ya don’t need t’drink anythin’ unless ya wanna.” And, really, she preferred if Doll never drank alcohol tonight.

“And… it’s just once?”

Avery sighed and set aside the flowy, black dress in her hands. Walking to the bathroom, she slowly pushed the door open with a low creaking sound and poked her head through. She looked over at the pale figure obscured by the frosted glass and sighed again.

“Just once,” she reassured. “Nothin’ more, nothin’ less.”

She nearly missed the quiet, muffled agreement from Doll. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Avery repeated as she slowly creaked the door shut. She stopped. “Don’t stress, just enjoy yourself,” she said softly, soothingly. “S’all I want.”

The soft click of the door seemed to echo in the main room as the brunette leaned against the door and listened to the shower run. It was all she wanted from this little adventure—not that she’d deny a good fuck would be nice too, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want Doll’s first _actual_ nightclub experience to be a good one.

Avery sighed again, something she seemed to be doing a lot of today, and returned to selecting Doll’s outfit of the night. Full dresses were out of the question, she realized as she took in the frills one dress had and the more casual feel another had, even with accessories added. But that didn’t mean a skort was out of the question…

 _This was going to be easy as pie._

-

 _Or not,_ Avery decided as she watched the green-haired woman freeze in her tracks and stare at the glowing sign of _The Club_ like a doe in the headlights. She watched as Doll gripped the black skirt tightly in her hands, her knuckles turning white with strain. She could almost hear the gears grinding away, chugging and chugging down a dangerous path until steam poured from her ears.

Doll turned to stare at her, and part of her heart broke at the pitiful, painful whimper crawling from her throat and the tears welling in her eyes. She looped her arm around the smaller woman’s shoulders and tugged her close, practically crushing her to her chest to muffle one half of her head.

Avery rubbed the leather covered shoulder soothingly. “S’okay, babycakes. Ya got this, y’know that?” she murmured as she pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I know ya got this. Got your cell?”

She felt Doll give a shaky nod, then shudder.

“Good, good.” Humming, she squeezed her closer. “Ya remember t’bring the fob and your anti?”

The smaller woman nodded again. “Y-yeah.”

“Aight.” Avery pulled away and looked down at Doll. “Do ya feel like ya need it now, or do ya think it’ll be alright t’wait?”

“I…” Doll trailed off with a shake of her head as she reached her hand up to the silver turtle resting in the hollow of her throat and held it between her thumb and forefinger. “I can… I can hold off, I think? I wanna try.”

“Aight, squirt.” Avery ruffled her short, fluffy locks into an even fluffier mess with her free hand and snickered at Doll’s indignant squawk. “Let’s go have ourselves some fun.” Together, the women walked through the open doors and received a proper taste of _The Club._

It looked as if a goth teen had, artistically, thrown up in the club and attempted to blacklight the whole place. There was too much purple for her, but it was still tastefully done. Better than what she had been expecting, in hindsight.

And she said as much, though the music threatened to drown her out, “Looks like someone ain’t outta their gothy phase, cupcake. Ya wanna get a drink, or do ya wanna join the masses writhin’ on the floor?”

Avery struggled to stifle her laughter at the utterly horrified expression plastered on Doll’s face as she looked from the dancefloor—she wondered if she saw the couple grinding on each other without a fuck to give (except to each other)—and back at her. 

“Drinks,” she forced out, her voice cracking on the last syllable. “Drinks first.”

There was no stifling her laughter, no attempts at it either, as she led her over to the bar. “Drinks it is.”

“Stop laughing!”

“No way, sugarpop. The look on your face, ya looked like I asked if ya wanted t’kick a puppy or some shit.” Avery continued snickering, even as she took notice of the trio at the bar ahead of them. 

Two were up there in their years, if she guessed right by the grey hair (and greying hair) they both had, while their companion? Friend? Family member? She wasn’t entirely certain which it was, and not too bothered to even care. The younger of the three looked to be around her age, maybe a little older, if she ventured a half-assed guess. 

They had potential… until she overheard him order his drink extra-strength.

The taller of the two older gents—and probably the only person she had ever seen wear a trench coat in a club—stood stiffly off to the side, his posture angled more towards the chill guy than the bar. Did he have a stick up his ass to keep his body that tense, or was he more nervous than her sweet bean buddy?

Probably three of the first and four of the latter.

The second gent with the silver foxtail leaning on the bar had more potential, his loose, easy-going stance gave her some hope. Sort of. More hope than his younger, thinner, shorter companion did, at any rate. 

Avery kept an eye on the foxtail man, even after the trio received their drinks and headed off to the seating area nearby. Hopefully, she’d find him again after they got their drinks.

“Hello, gorgeous,” she greeted the bartender, mesmerized by the woman’s brown eyes. “How are you tonight?”

“Hello, ladies. How can I help you?” The bartender asked politely, brushing off the greeting with a small smile.

She pouted, then grinned as she pulled out a small, black wallet from her ass pocket and slipped out two twenties. She set the money on the bar and released Doll from her grasp, though she still stayed close. “If ya don’t mind, I’d like a tab for me and my sister opened, miss, and a sex on the beach, please.”

The woman nodded as she took the cash and, with a few pressed keys, slipped the twenties into their drawer. She turned around, setting about making the fruity mixed drink while Doll focused on the bottles lining the wall awkwardly. She turned back around and looked at the shorter woman, her brow arching as she mixed the drinks. “And you?”

“D-do, um, do you have plain sprite?”

“We do. That's all you want?”

Doll nodded. “Yes, please. J-just sprite.”

“Sure thing, hun. It’ll be just a moment.” She finished with Avery’s drink, pouring it into a tall glass with ice and topping it with a cherry, a lemon slice, and a straw before passing it to her. 

“Thanks, this is perfect.” Avery’s grin grew as she took a long sip of her drink, then sighed contently. “Hey, sugarpop, I’m gonna go check somethin’—” _someone_ — “out. I’ll be a text away if ya need me, and don’t forget t’eat somethin’ if ya get hungry.”

“I… I… okay?” Doll said hesitantly. “Have fun?”

“Don’t worry, butterscotch. I will.”

_And you will too._


	2. Dance with me Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title Song: _Dance with me Tonight_ by Olly Murs
> 
> Other songs were: _Lone Digger_ by Caravan Palace (also the song Stan requests), _Check Yes, Juilet_ by We the Kings, and _Sweet Pea_ by Amos Lee
> 
> It should also be noted that Brit, of LifeSansSin and creator of Curiosity, helped majorly with Stan to keep him IC to Curiosity (which you all should read! It's amazing, seriously!) in this chapter.

_Doll’s P.O.V._

Abandoned, that’s what she was. She was abandoned at the bar with naught but the menu, her sprite, and crippling anxiety. Well, maybe not too much on the last one. Doll shook her head and picked up the menu, sipping her soda quietly.

This was awkward.

Doll set her glass back down and sighed, gently tapping the side of the glass with her nail. She flipped through the menu, looking for something edible and cheap if possible.

“Hey. Know what’s on the Menu?” a low, gruff voice greeted her from behind. She turned around, blinking up owlishly at the stranger behind her through her thick-framed glasses. 

The stranger, a gray-haired man with an easy-going smile on his face and a comfy looking beanie on his head, gestured towards the laminated thing in her hand with a glass of whiskey in his large hand. He oozed casualness and ease, but there was a spark of nervous energy that had him tapping his heel, not impatiently, just mindlessly.

“Um…” she started saying, glancing down at the menu in her hand awkwardly. “Maybe? Why?”

He leaned against the bar, one of the many inside the large, warehouse-like building, swirling the amber liquid inside his glass before downing it in one go. “Me-n-u… The name’s Stan, but you can call me anytime.”

Doll’s cheeks flooded with warmth as a short giggle-snort escaped and she quickly ducked her head, futilely trying to hide behind the plastic-coated pages. Worrying her lower lip and tasting the cherry-flavored gloss, she ventured a shy glance up at him. “I’m… I’m Doll,” she said after collecting herself. “And, um, Stan? There’s an issue…”

“Doll, huh…” His grin widened, until he frowned as she continued. He pulled out his phone and made a big show of tapping the screen, pushing random buttons. “You got a point, there is an issue… with my phone, y’see.” Then he held it out her, looking the slightest bit shy in his smile as he showed her the open new contact page, his other hand spinning his now empty glass on the counter. “It don’t have your number in it.”

The flush grew as she giggled again, barely restraining the urge to pout behind the growing, shy smile on her lips. He stole her line, and pretty smoothly at that. Though... he certainly played it better than she had as she fished out her phone and, hands trembling slightly, opened a new contact in return. 

"I was gonna s-say that same thing." She took his phone in hand, lightly brushing against his fingers with hers, and added her number. "How can I call you anytime without your number?"

“No foolin’, huh? Guess dolls like you do still hear lines like that, if you know 'em." He chuckled, a low, rumbly sound from his chest as he took her phone and punched in his number, only messing up two or three times as his large fingers mis-clicked the on-screen buttons. When he handed it back for the swap, his finger brushed against her hand, his fingers calloused and warm. Once he got his phone back, he put it in the back pocket of his jeans and shoved his now free hand into the pocket of his trench-coat style jacket. "So, what's a nice doll like you doin' in a place like this?" He asked.

She shivered slightly at his chuckle as she nodded, once again trapping her lip between her teeth and glancing away. "Hear 'em? No, I... I like reading them, or telling them to sweethearts to make them smile a bit." His fingers were warm, she noted absently, and larger than her slender 'pianist' fingers. What good hand-holding hands. "Avery, my friend, wanted me to come wi-with her and leave my books behind for a night. Live a little," she admitted after tearing her thoughts away from the path they were wandering down. "And you?"

He hummed thoughtfully. She watched as his smile turned into a grin as she spoke, though it lessened slightly into a more curious expression when she mentioned books. "Books, huh? I read on occasion... Not as much as my twin, but hey, I've turned a page or two...hundred." He gestured to the bartender, who quickly came back around and refilled his glass, mentioning something about a tab before bustling off to help other patrons. "Me? I just came into port with my brother and his partner. Bein' out at sea can be stressful work, so we decided to have a night to unwind a bit. In other words..." He chuckled again, lifting his glass to his lips with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm just here to have fun."

She nodded, her smile outgrowing some of the shyness filling it. "I'm told I read t-too much, write too much t-too sometimes, but I love it all." She tilted her head slightly, picking up her glass of sprite and sipping it. "Really? Do you enjoy it?" She paused, then clarified, "Being on the sea?" Hopefully, this wasn't far from the older man's idea of fun, he was interesting? Yes, she supposed that would be an accurate word for him. He was interesting to talk to so far. Sweet, too, if she were to think of more words for him.

He was far nicer than the kind of person she had been expecting to meet here. People were all she expected, loud people. Drunk people too…

Doll took another sip of her sprite, washing the thoughts away and focusing on her conversation partner. She caught the way his smile grew into something more genuine at her question. 

“It's all I've wanted to do my whole life. Bein' out at sea with my brother... Looking for whatever weird shit comes our way next. He's kind of an egg head, y'know? Real smart, but focuses too much on his studies. He's always been after weird things, anomalies, he calls 'em..." She listened to him gush about his brother with a smile on her face, before he stopped, flushed a light pink and chuckled. His free hand reached up to rub at the side of his neck, scratching lightly at his stubble. 

"Anyway, sorry 'bout that. I should be askin' about you instead 'a blabberin' on about myself." He raised his glass to his lips and took an impressively long drink, without even so much as a shudder or a grimace at the burn as it warmed his throat and stomach. "Ahh... okay, question for ya. What do you like to read...?"

She giggled a bit and shook her head when he cut himself off. "I don't mind listening to you talk; you have a very nice voice and lovely smile. Plus, it's... nice hearing siblings gush about each other." She blinked at the impressive drinking skills, curious if it was a skill born of practice or pure talent. "Oh, um... anything really. I love fairy tales, fantasy, mythology, and history the most. What's the... weirdest thing you've seen?"

He grinned at her, then fell quiet. She tilted her head curiously as he thought to himself, before shaking his head slightly and shuddering as he took another drink. "Okay, so get this-- sea urchin that looks like a craft section threw up on it. My brother's partner stepped on it, and they turned into a merfolk for about a week. Crazy shit, but it was pretty cool, I guess. Haven't gotten around to askin' em what it was like, livin' under the sea and all that." 

Having drained half his glass, he set it on the counter, spinning it between his fingers. "Hmm..." He hummed deeply and stared at the amber liquid sloshing around in his glass, then, a smile broke out across his lips. "Alright, Doll, I got a question for ya." He stopped the spinning suddenly, and when he looked at her this time, it was with a curiosity in his deep, brown eyes. "You ever heard of a place called Gravity Falls, Oregon?"

She stared at him in awe, barely containing a bounce and portraying the mature young lady she was trying to be. "Really? Did he have to kiss them to turn them back? Was it like, um, a real-life Little Mermaid moment?" The romantic in her wanted to ask more, eager and, well, _romantic_. She tilted her head at the question and looked him in the rather beautiful eyes, attempting to ignore the part of her that equated the color to a chocolatey sweet before anything else. "No, but now I'm curious. Why?"

He laughed outright then, a short, deep sound, and he raised his glass to take another sip, this one much smaller than the last. "... Yeah, how'd you know?" he said, the smile on his face not totally telling of whether or not it was true. "Well, the thing is, that's where we live, when we're off the boat during the summer months. ... And I gotta tell ya, if you wanna see a bunch of weird shit, that's the town to be in. I swear, there ain't no other place on earth like Gravity Falls."

Doll stifled a happy little squeak behind her glass, or at least she attempted to. She could hope, though, he was telling the truth, even though it sounded too good to be true. But, with a lie like that, it was a good one. “Really? I mean, the name certainly is weird and oddly accurate—gravity does fall—but is it that weird? Like, um, Sunnydale weird? Or, er, catacombs of Paris weird? Because the catacombs are... something else in person."

Stan chuckled deeply, and she felt herself flush with embarrassment. He heard that, didn't he? She was grateful when he seemed to brush past it, his smile widening as he shook his head slowly at her question. "Oh, Doll, you have no idea. This is something else entirely. Consider every weird thing you've ever heard about lived all in one little town. Gnomes? We got em. Unicorns? Eh... They're frustrating... Ember Wolves? Yup." He counted off every creature as he said them on each finger of his hand. "Weirdest place in the Falls, though? Gotta be the Mystery Shack..."

"I..." Doll felt her brain stall at that. "...You have fire puppies? Do... why is the Mystery Shack the weirdest?" She had so many questions bubbling, so many. Did they have whatnots, the Fair Folk? Did that mean someone had a Cerberus somewhere in that little town? A siren? Living skeletons?

Stars above, she hoped he wasn’t lying! It was, in a way, the perfect connection to real life and her beloved fairy tales. An adventure that… No, she wasn’t going to think about it. Tonight was to have fun, to… experience new things.

Stan let out a deep laugh at that, slapping a hand against his knee. "Y'know, that's exactly what my great niece called 'em." He stalled at that, quickly raising his glass to take another drink. He shook his head and his smile, which had faded slightly as he took his drink, returned full force. "Well, it's got just about anything you can imagine!" His voice took on a more dramatic tone, like a salesman with something to sell, and he cleared his throat before starting in on his pitch. "If you're looking for a little excitement, a little different, a little out of the ordinary, then the Mystery Shack is your kinda place! We've got teenage wolf boys! We've got eyeball-bats! We've got the Sasscrotch!" He waited for a moment before breaking into snickers himself, sighing. "Ahh, but I left that business to my ... I guess he's kinda like my son. Anyway, left it to him when Ford and I started out at sea together."

Doll blinked. Great niece? Well then, that wasn't expected, but... "She has excellent taste in names. Brilliant taste." She listened to his pitch and nodded, snickering to herself at the very immaturely named Sasscrotch. Who did the... crotch sass, anyways? Ah, don't ask, Doll, don't ask. Be a mature adult that you're supposed to be...! "The eyeball-bats sound interesting," and a glance down at the pastel blue tank top beneath her jacket proved why—after all, it had winged eye balls printed on it. "It's sweet that you've turned it into a family business." She paused, briefly worrying her lip again before taking another sip of her sprite. "I bet all the ladies looking for a little excitement and a little bit of wonder always go there to see you, though, more than anything else."

She ventured a glance towards Stan from beneath her lashes, watching him focus on his glass intently and a fond smile creep across his faintly flushing cheeks. Doll turned her full attention on him when he guffawed, her brows furrowed in confusion until he explained, “Well, I used to be called Mr. Mystery around them parts in the Falls... I was an enigma wrapped in a red fez, an eyepatch, and a cheap suit. ...But, ah, never really had anyone fallin' all over themselves to come see me. ...'Cept for one."

She huffed. "Clearly the rest need their eyes checked, maybe their ears too. You're sweet, handsome, and definitely a mystery. Plus, fez are _cool."_ No, no, that wasn't her nerd talking at that last part. Absolutely not. Fez were just cool, and not just because the Doctor wore one in one incarnation.

Okay, maybe that may have been the biggest reason she had. They were still cool, in her opinion.

His eyes widened, and he just stood, slack jawed, heat rising to his face... which he quickly turned to cover, turning toward the bar and taking a long drink from his nearly empty glass. He snorted a laugh and shook his head. "Gotta tell ya, doll. Nobody's said anythin' like that to me before." His voice was quieter there, a little bit of his confident act dropping. Then he drained his glass and set it down with a soft click of glass against wood. "Welp. I ain't Mr. Mystery anymore, but if you're looking for some weird shit... You mind if I message ya, when I'm out at sea sometimes?" His face flushed a deeper shade and he reached up, scratching at his hair not covered by his beanie. "I mean, y'know, between all the boat work and wrestlin' krakens an' stuff. Maybe I can tell ya about whatever interestin' thing we're chasin' after that week."

She ran a finger around the rim of her glass and stared down into her drink, flushing. "Well, I'd be happy to tell you again, Stan. S'only the truth as I see it, after all." Doll looked up at him from under her lashes with a shy smile. "I'd love it if you messaged me, whether you see something weird or not. Like I said, you're definitely a mystery. If you want, I can share what Avery and I see in trade? We're heading to New Zealand, I think, or Romania soon for a few weeks."

"'m sure my brother would appreciate that. Might end up makin' us take a few detours before we head back home to Gravity Falls."

She smiled back him. "Question's more if you'd appreciate that, but so long as you have fun along the way I'm not gonna worry!" Much. There'd probably be a little worry. Worrying about friends? New friends? Was second nature at times.

He chuffed and sipped at his drink until there was only ice left, the sphere of ice clinking against the edges of the glass. "From a doll like you? It'd always be appreciated. Trust me." Then, with another rolling chuckle, he moved to set his glass down, then decided to just hold it, rolling the little ball of ice around. "Anything to distract me from my twin and his partner's lovey-doveys... it's so sweet it makes ya sick, y'know?"

"Oh, good." She reached up and ruffled the short, green fluff she called her hair. The motion only fluffed it up further. "I think so. I'm happy to be a distraction from sweet, mushy lovebirds, 'specially since I get to talk with an equally sweet gent like you for it." She took a long sip from her sprite and absently scrunched her nose at the now empty drink. "Do you like dancing?"

He puffed his chest, like one of those proud birds or a puppy after earning a treat, and then blinked at her. Did she— "I've been known to cut a rug in my day... Why, do you?"

"I'm absolutely terrible at it, completely pants. I'd trip over air if there's a chance, but..." She beamed at him. "It's just so fun. I love it."

"Hmmm..." He hummed deeply for a moment, ice clinking around in his glass as he swirled it. Then he stopped suddenly, setting his glass on the bar. "You probably just never had the right partner. And I've had just enough to drink that I'm willin' to risk makin' a fool of myself out on the dance floor with ya." His cheeks darkened as he chuckled, holding his left hand out to her, palm up. "That is, if you're willin' to dance with some codger like me. I can teach you a thing or two."

Doll eyed the offered hand hesitantly, her cheeks warming and the urge to hide behind something creeping up behind her. A little voice whispered in her ear, sounding far too much like Avery, urging her to live a little, go have fun. _Dance with someone for fuck's sakes!_ She took a deep breath and, following that little voice, slipped her hand into Stan's. "Some codger? Nah, but I think I'm willing to dance with the gentleman before me. I'd be happy to learn from you."

He grinned at her words, and gently pulled her out to the edge of the dance floor. "It's all about feeling the beat, y'see?" Stan explained as he tapped his foot in time with the beat, eventually deciding the timing was acceptable. He hesitantly took her other hand and put it up on his shoulder (she felt so small compared to him, stretching just a bit to feel more comfortable and craning her neck to meet his gaze) and he put his other hand not holding hers onto her waist, no lower and no higher, being a proper gentleman. She shivered under his hands, his warmth soothing and bleeding into her chilly hand.

"Next," he said, "You have to communicate with your partner. When I step back..." He stepped back gently, guiding her to follow him, "...you step forward. And when I step left..." This time he took a small side-step left, and once again guided her. "...you step right. Got it?"

She followed his lead, eyes trained on their feet, before turning her head to look up at him again. "I think? I mirror your steps and match the beat with you?"

He smiled as she stared down at her feet at first, but his face flushed a light pink when she looked up at him. "Yup, you got it, toots. Then you can vary things up a bit, like..." He stepped away from her and released her waist, leading her into a turn before pulling her back in close. His hand returned to her waist, and he was grinning ear to ear. "You're pretty good at this, for someone who... what was it you said? Trips over air?" He kept his voice low, so that only she could hear it, just loud enough to be heard between them over the roar of the music.

She laughed gleefully at the turn, a bright grin on her face to match her eyes aimed at him. "It's like you said, I just needed the right partner, right?" She replied, attempting to keep her voice heard.

Stan chuckled at her, the sound warming on the inside. It was a wonderful sound to hear. "Now you're catchin' on, Doll." Catching sight of someone coming in fast from his right, he side-stepped and then took two steps back, pulling her gently along with him. He didn't notice someone behind him until he bumped into them, and so he stopped suddenly, bumping Doll into his broad chest. 

"Sorry 'bout that," he said, glancing around. "Too many people in here. This place is packed."

She let out an oof when she bumped into his chest and flushed. "S'okay, not your fault. I'm... surprised it didn't happen sooner? This is still fun." Doll squeezed the hand holding hers gently. "What's your favorite type of dance?"

He cleared his throat and turned away to look at something else for a second until it died down. The question, however, caught his full attention, and he looked back down at her. "Swing, 's gotta be. It's fun, but a little more advanced than the foxtrot..." 

"Really? I like swing music, the beat is really nice to bake to!" A distant memory from middle school came to mind, of learning to dance and several days of learning to square dance in those days. "I bet you're amazing at swing if it's your favorite."

"I'm alright at it. Used to dance with Ma whenever she was feelin' down. And I've been known to dance with my brother's partner a few times. He's got two left feet, won't even try and dance with 'em, so I guess that leaves it to me." He chuckled fondly at the memory that crossed his mind. He pulled Doll gently forward until their chests were almost touching, doing a few side-steps back and forth while people around them shot them strange looks. 

Probably because their type of dancing wasn't suited to the song, but who cared when they were having fun? Yet, at the same time, Doll failed to properly process the strange stares, far too focused on her dance partner and not stepping on his feet.

"Aw, that's so sweet of you. I bet they both really appreciate it." She grinned as she followed his lead, both in the dance and closed distance. "What other dances do you like?"

"Heheh, dunno about sweet. I just wanted practice for Prom back then. And... well, I kinda see my brother's partner as a sort of... sibster-in-law, y'know? Not that he's popped the question yet or nothin'. Dunno if he ever will." He shook his head, doing two slow steps backwards, then turning Doll in a spin, catching her with the hand on her waist and pulling her back in to do it all again. The question of what other dances he liked made him frown slightly in thought, humming to himself. "Hmm... Well, there's the tango. Never really got to do much of that one. And the waltz, but, that one's too slow for me. There's the cha-cha, the Jive, the samba... All of those are pretty interesting, too." Then he puffed out his chest a bit, grinning. "Kind of surprising, a big guy like me knowin' how to dance, but it's pretty fun. 'Specially when you got the right partner."

"Still sweet to me." She shrugged slightly, swallowing a statement of that just being an overrated question. A laugh escaped her again at the spin. "So, you're more of a lively dancer? It's a good type of surprise, in my opinion. An enjoyable surprise. What got you into dancing all those dances?" Alright, she was going to thank Avery for making her go out and dance, later. Meeting the older man had been a pleasant surprise, and one she was happy to continue to enjoy.

He hummed deep in his throat, "That's a way of puttin' it. Glad you enjoy it." He gave a little wink and a grin while he seemed to contemplate how to answer the 'what' she had asked. "Ma liked watchin' those dance shows, back in the day, and she always had somethin' playin' on the radio while she cooked. So I'd just start dancin' with her in the kitchen... y'know, standin' on her feet at first, but eventually I started really learnin'. Surprised her, too. Pa wasn't too thrilled about it..." He swallowed down a frown at that. "...But he was just jealous that I could dip 'er better than he could." His voice colored with pride at that, more vibrant, and he tucked her in close to his chest then, leaning over her and leading her into a dip as the song ended.

She giggled quietly at the wink and grin, listening to his answer to her question. Oh wow, that's... _pure_. Sweet and just heartwarming. Before she could formulate her reply, she squeaked at the sudden dip and increased closeness. Her cheeks burned as she averted her eyes from his. "That's... that's a very good dip. I wouldn't doubt someone'd be... be jealous about your skill in them."

He slowly straightened himself up and brought her up with him. Once they were upright, he separated them a respectable distance again, moving his hand from the small of her back to her waist and giving the hand in his a small squeeze. "I got a lot to make people jealous of, can't lie about that," he said, though there was no cockiness or arrogance in his tone. He fixed her with a grin as the next song started. "You uh, need to sit down, or you good to go for another song?"

She stated plainly, honestly even, "Of course you do, you're a sweetheart, after all! It's natural you'd have a lot to make people jealous." She paused a bit and took a quick stock of her body, satisfying herself with ignoring the faint aches. "I'm good for another song, if you are!"

His grin grew to a painful yet blinding brightness, and she wondered if his cheeks hurt from how wide it was, as he started in on a two-step, moving side to side with her. As the song progressed, he got a little more creative, moving her into a slow twirl before pulling her close, hand resting just at the small of her back. Two strides forward, one step to the left. Two strides backward, one step to the right... or it was supposed to be, but he misstepped, bumping shoulders with another guy who was grinding against his girlfriend.

"Whoops, heheh, sorry pal." The guy glared at him before turning to get back to it, and Stan led Doll to a less crowded portion of the dance floor, giving them all the room they needed to dance. He spun her out, only this time, he kept a hold of her hand, and when he spun her back in, her back was to his chest, his hand on her hip. "Ma always said the girls would love that move. Too bad I got kicked outta Prom for spiking the punch." He laughed, turning her back around gently until she was back in the regular position, hand in his and hand on her waist.

She followed him to the less crowded portion, a thread of tension seeping out of her spine as they went. Perhaps that section had been getting to... populated while they were over there. When Stan twirled her out, she couldn't help smiling and flushing when her back met his chest. "I think she was right, I know I loved it." She blinked up at him once she was back into position. "You spiked the punch? I... people do that?"

He huffed a laugh and nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Ehhh, y'know. After this girl threw punch on my brother for him just talkin' to her, I dumped my punch on myself. ...Then to kinda get back at everyone, I spiked it with the flask I brought, yeah." His hand gave hers a small squeeze, "Why, is that bad?"

"She sounds like a git, a rude one." Snorting, she shrugged and squeezed back. "No, I don't think so? I think it was... a fair revenge for that."

"A git, huh? Never heard that one before. Least, not in a while." He spun the two of them around, carefully stepping so he didn't walk on her feet as he guided them into a half circle, then twirling her once, twice, thrice before pulling her in close again. "Revenge resmenge, I'd do anything for my family. So spikin' some shitty kool-aid punch at a half baked prom party was nothin'." He settled back into a comfortable rhythm with his steps, leading her gracefully across the floor. "Now tell me, toots... are you really all sugar and spice, or is there some secret dark side to you that I just haven't picked up on yet?" he asked, obviously joking, if the snickering and the big grin had anything to say on the matter.

"I blame too many Harry Potter books," she admitted during one of the twirls. She chuckled, then flushed at his joking question. "Well, I'm not sure. I mean, I once kicked my little sister's ex in the jewels for hurting her? But I don't think that's too dark, just... protective."

At her admission to kicking her little sister's ex, he cringed slightly, misstepping a bit and nearly stepping on her foot before he righted himself. "Yeesh, bet that musta hurt. Bet he deserved it, too, for hurtin' your sis like that. And I bet it was worth watchin' him squirm." His hand brushed around her side to rest on the small of her back again, turning them around so they could dance their way back toward the more deserted area. "Yeah, I get that. The protective thing, I mean. Ford says I'm too quick to violence, but hey, if it's for my family, I say I'm not quick enough, y'know?"

"I'm hoping it hurt enough he can't have kids, and it was, for the most part. I felt pretty guilty after I kicked him, though. Kitty wasn't very pleased with me for it." She shivered at the light brush and sighed. "Understandable, completely so. Family is important, no matter the kind. How many siblings do you have, if you don't mind the question?"

He nodded along in agreement with what she said. "Huh, siblings?" He frowned at this, though only slightly. "Well, I have my twin brother, Stanford, and my younger brother Shermie. So that makes two. I'm the middle child, though only by fifteen minutes that Ford likes to hold over my head sometimes." He chuckled fondly at the thought.

She may have been leaving out that he had cheated on her little sister, but she was happy to keep that to herself. "I can't blame him. I hold being older over Kitty when we bicker, but that's siblings, right?" _She thinks._ Another thing she'd keep to herself was the awkward feeling that still came from their sibling relationship; after all, how does one be an older sibling when you're less than a year apart?

She was grateful he didn’t ask anything more, it was hard to explain to herself enough as it is. He just pulled her in close for a second, giving her a grin and a squeeze of her hand before pulling away. "Hang on, I'll be right back." 

As the music went quiet and he made his way back to Doll, he looked eager, excitement sparking in his brown eyes. "You ready to swing, Doll?" The music started, and he took off, pulling her in close, hand holding hers and the other on her back, leading her into a quick-paced back and forth step.

She watched him leave with a tilt of her head and her hands smoothing down her skirt absently. What was he planning? Stars, she was nerv—no, she was _excited_ . As the music went quiet and he returned, she couldn't wait to find out what Stan had planned. In truth, even though she nodded, she almost missed his question in favor of taking in the, well, pleasing look in his eyes. She knew this song! For the most part, that is. The name escaped her, and could happily keep doing so as long as she didn't step on Stan's feet. It was a near thing, too, but... it was fun attempting to mirror the smooth swinger and it just _was_.

As the song began, he spun her out, catching her hand at the last second to pull her back in. But as the song went on, it was less about focusing on the steps they took and more on the way the other looked, the way it felt good (and she only hoped he shared her opinion) as she tried to burn the moment into her memories. He looked so, so enthralling as he led her around the floor. The grin on his face, the way his eyes were twinkling beneath the purple lights with exhilaration. It just… it just did something for her; what, she couldn’t place, not while he was so close and this mess of _whatever_ continued to cloud over her thoughts.

He spun her out again, and threw his arm out behind him, a grin on his face, then pulled her back in again and close to his chest. They leaned in place, leaning over her, then leaning backwards so she was more over him, then parted again. His cheeks were ruddy with a blush, both from the drinks and the contact and the heat of the room, and yet he continued to dance with her without complaint. It was a heady feeling, if she were to be honest.

She wasn’t certain about Stan, but she knew she was going to be punished by her legs the next day for all this dancing (and all that hiking earlier in the day), but all she could say to that was _worth it._ Freewill, and equivalent exchange and all that it implies. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, fluttering like a caged bird in this jumbled, gleeful mess of excitement and nerves, and the warmth pickling across smile-strained cheeks. The longer they danced, the more it grew and spiraled out from there. It was almost sad when the song wound down and their swing dance had to follow with it.

By the time the song ended, Stan was panting slightly, and he pulled away to stretch his back, wincing as it popped and cracked. "Ahhh shit... That was some good dancin' doll. Where'd you learn moves like that?" he asked, all smiles. He took her hand gently and led the two of them over to the bar again, hopping up on one of the plush stools with a sigh of relief. "Man, haven't done that in a while. Probably gonna be sore tomorrow. ...Still worth it, though."

"I had an amazing teacher." Doll giggled breathlessly as she followed him. She hopped up in her own stool, then rubbed at her ankle for a moment before straightening up. "That was amazing, Stan. You're amazing," she gushed. "I've never danced like that with anyone before, not even at my prom. That was totally worth it, completely and utterly so!"

He grinned. “Thanks, toots.”


	3. Panic Room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title Song: _Panic Room_ by Au/Ra
> 
> Other songs were: _C'mon_ by Panic! At the Disco, _Waving through a Window_ by Ben Platt and Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen, and _You are My Sunshine_ by Jasmine Thompson
> 
> It should also be noted that Brit, of LifeSansSin and creator of Curiosity, helped majorly with Stan to keep him IC to Curiosity in this chapter. Actually, they help me with prolly every chapter Stan is in. I should just get that out there now, but it's true! So, if you wanna see a damn good Stan, or Ford, or Dipper, or Mabel, go look at Curiosity! Go, shoo!

Before Stan could respond further, a slender young person (young man? Woman? Doll wasn’t actually sure, they could have been either or with their appearance) ran towards the bar with an infuriated guy chasing after them. She heard Stan shout a name as the man caught up to the stranger (his sibster?) and latched onto one of their wrists, squeezing hard enough their fist uncurled and their fingers spasmed. 

She could have sworn she heard bones grind in their wrist in between the changing songs. Doll’s eyes darted around the bar to the dance floor, almost hoping there would be others to help control the situation; however, no one seemed to notice as the attention stayed on the floor. 

“Doll, get behind me,” Doll heard Stan say as he moved to stand in front of her. She was more than happy to, already aware she’d be useless in this situation and feeling the loathsome claws of a panic attack start sinking into her poor brain. 

_Null._

She couldn’t see from behind Stan, but she could hear the attacker’s voice as he spoke with the person she assumed was the sibster-in-law her new friend had mentioned. His voice reminded her of nails on a chalkboard, grating and an all-around instrument of torture with its unpleasant qualities. How fitting that it’d belong to some strange man, a man she decidedly had chosen to dislike.

_Eins._

His laughter was a nightmare, a spine shuddering sound that shouldn’t have been an acceptable noise from a human’s throat. It wasn’t right. It… it... Doll wrapped her arms around her waist and resisted the urge to wind a hand in Stan’s coat like a scared little girl in a horror movie. No matter how accurate it felt, she thought to herself as she dug her nails into the hems of her leather sleeves.

_Zwei._

Her eyes stayed on Stan’s back as he took a step forward, his arms raising in preparation to defend and protect. He stopped as a cry of pain erupted from the man and, as he shifted just so, she caught sight of his sibster escaping the… the _bastard_ and stumbling towards Stan and another man.

_Drei._

“Vier,” Doll whispered as she gripped her sleeves tighter, forcing herself to focus on the situation before her rather than the panic attack threatening to consume her. She missed what they were saying and, even if she had caught it, she had a feeling she would have been missing something there too.

_Funf._

Between one blink and another, Stan’s twin (Ford, if she remembered right…?) was tugging his partner away and Stan was calling after him, shouting above the music. “Ford, hold up! Slow down!” 

"Geez, I thought we were gettin' too old for this shit..." he grumbled to himself, a grimace passing across his face. He glanced back at her and, probably thinking her a mess, he sighed a breath through his nose.

Doll saw him gently wrap his large hand around her wrist before her brain registered the warmth bleeding from his hand and the rough calluses rubbing against her skin. Stan shot the angry, bloody-face man behind him a look, silencing the obscenities pouring past bloodied lips as he tugged her away.

She followed him through the crowd—or, rather, her body followed him through the crowd as she felt more like her nickname than a person in that moment. The mental lag she was suffering only compounded the feeling of being a doll, a marionette with her strings slowly being snipped. Doll swallowed harshly around the dry, cotton feeling in her mouth. Why couldn’t this feeling just go away?

_Funf._

Once outside, the air, which had been too warm and too full of _something_ , was now clear and cool. It was late, the sky dark and dotted with stars in between the clouds that tried to blanket over them. He led them to the side of the entrance, away from everyone to give her some semblance of privacy. "Hey, y'alright kid...?" 

**_Funf._ **

Doll's lips moved in response to his question, but her voice caught in her throat as she hunched forward and shuddered. No, she wasn't alright, but it wasn't his fault, she wanted to say. It was her fault for not having better control of herself, for being such a mess. 

_Sechs._

She shook her head when she remembered she hadn't answered and, as another shivering shudder wracked her body and threatened to take her legs out with it, she sank to her knees. The still-warm concrete and its grains of sand, likely tracked in by someone's shoes, ground into her bare skin, an appreciated yet painful tug back from the fog creeping into her mind. 

“Woah, hey—” She heard him start, then grunt as he squatted down beside her.

"S-sieben," Doll murmured shakily before pressing onward, "I-it's just... it's just... it's just..." She failed to continue, the panic taking her words and forcing them to loop. _It's just a panic attack,_ she wanted to say, to reassure him.

Doll opened her eyes— _when had they closed, again?—_ as Stan squeezed her hand and moved his other hand to rest on her mid back, thumb rubbing circles against the back of her hand.

"Okay. Okay… Doll, listen to me," he said, his voice all deepness and softness, spoken so only she could hear. "I take it you've been here before. You've survived this before. You got the ability to cope." 

His hand on her back rubbed gentle circles, just enough that it kept her focus on him yet not too much that it pushed frayed nerves beyond their limits. _Stars, she hated feeling like this, so… so…_ "You're stronger than you think y' are, and these shitty feelin's will pass." Then, without any bit of hesitation in his voice, he gave her hand a squeeze. "You're not in any danger here. I'll keep ya safe, Doll."

She turned to look at him with wide eyes glistening with unbidden tears as he rubbed the back of her hand and spoke. The soft deepness of his voice slipped into the fog trying so hard to just _consume_ and, though the words only found brief holds in her mind before slipping away, rumbled like a welcomed white noise compared to the blaring screech the music from the club had become. 

_Acht._

Doll swallowed dryly and shuddered again beneath the gentle touch muffled by her jacket. Despite the urge to pull away, to curl into herself and hide, that rose at the call of the attack, it too helped to ground her to reality when the fog grew more persistent, a little voice whispering from within it denying everything he said. 

_Acht? What was after acht?_

The voice whispered louder, mocking her for forgetting. How could she forget just a little number? How stupid could she—

_Neun._

**_Neun._ **

She mouthed along with her count, repeating it when it slipped, and, with a weak squeeze returned, tried her hardest to believe him. Even as her heart pounded unpleasantly in her head, she tried to believe that, right here and beside him, she was safe. 

"Keep countin', Doll, you got this. Stronger than I ever was, gotta tell ya,” he said, the latter slipping in like it was his own fog. He fell quiet for a few moments, glancing around and, maybe, _(like her)_ pushing back against the fog it slipped from.

 _Zehn._

And, between his comfort and an unconscious attempt to match her breathing to his, the fog began to slowly recede and drag its claws from her poor, pounding head. Doll's trembling continued, even though they too were slowly calming, as she shut her eyes and just tried to exist beyond herself. 

"D-Danke," she mumbled softly. "Th-thanks. S-s'rry."

"Hey, don't apologize," he said, gentle but firm, as he slowly moved to remove his hands from her person. "Y' can't help it none."

Doll's hold on his hand tightened for a brief moment before she released him with another mumbled apology and a jerky shake of her head. She knew better, and she had had a chance to prevent it from even being an issue. 

"I-I coulda. Shoulda. So stupid, shoulda taken m'med 'fore we came in, 'fore it got this bad. Dummkopf." She reached up with her left hand and fumbled with the silver turtle charm, a mumbled yet harsh reprimand slipping from her lips as her fingers refused to cooperate. "Supposed t'do that 'fore I look like a bleedin' loon. S'what I get for bein' dumb, tryin' t'be _normal."_

Doll jolted slightly in surprise when he took her hand away and held it in his own perfectly warm, calloused hand, pulling her out of the hole she was heading down. Not even Avery had hands as warm as Stan and part of her wondered if he’d still be as warm if he hadn’t been dancing with her beforehand. He’d probably give the best cuddles, the best hugs in winter—almost better than the warm, hug-like feeling hot chocolate gave her insides. 

As she opened her mouth to say _something_ , Doll noticed the frown making itself at home on his face and felt confusion settle in her stomach like a lead weight. It grew heavier as Stan gently dropped his jacket over her shoulders. But she already had a coat…? 

Still, she turtled as best as she could into the extra layer and took a deep breath. It smelled... it smelled like whiskey, leather, and the sea with a soothing, musky undertone to it. Cheeks warming, she sighed softly as she relaxed a little further beside him. 

"Y' ain't some loon, or whatever you wanna call it. And y' ain't dumb, either." He actually sounded the slightest bit off-put by that idea, that she might think those things. He and Avery would likely get along, commiserating over her self-bullying before correcting those views. "Y' know what I think?" He didn't wait for a response, instead just letting his voice slip into that lower range as he rumbled on, deep from his chest. "Normal is overrated, anyway. I've seen some strange shit, and I gotta say, the life I've lived with all that weirdness and oddity is a million times better than the 'normal' life I lived before. ... 'Sides, I uh..." His cheeks pinked slightly, and he looked away. "I think you're pretty great, kid. Best dance partner I ever had." His thumb rubbed slow circles into the back of her hand, and he gave a small squeeze. "'Sides, I kinda like abnormal. Makes life more interestin', don't you think?"

Yet Doll bit her tongue, quite literally, to keep the flood of alternatives she could offer him instead of 'loon.' _Nut, wacko, crazy, overdramatic pansy, loser, drama queen, weirdo... cracked..._ She had so many things that could... describe how she felt about herself after a panic attack. Still, she wanted to believe Stan as he continued, her cheeks coloring further as she focused on the slow motions of his thumb. 

"No lies?" Doll asked quietly. "Y'don't think 'm a weirdo for this?" She squeezed his hand slightly before she continued on, "I... you're pretty great too, Stan. Amazin', really. 'm... 'm glad I got t'meetcha."

He smiled. “No foolin', babydoll."

"And if you ever, y'know... have this happen again, and y' need someone to talk ya through it, y' call me up, alright? I'll do my damned best to answer anytime.” He continued, a little hesitantly, "And, ah... heh. I'm glad I got to meet you too."

Doll's cheeks felt like they were on fire at the pet name, for once not from Avery. She thought she'd have been inoculated to them, but no, she wasn't, it seemed. She eyed him at the offer, then tilted her head slightly. 

She hadn't expected him to offer that, nor had it even crossed her mind. It was a sweet offer, and she wasn't sure how to respond. A simple thank you? A hug? Or... she could go with her first impulse. It didn't take much thinking after that for her to decide. 

"Thank you," Doll said before leaning over, giving Stan a hug and maneuvering to press a chaste kiss to his cheek. She released him after and hid her face in his coat, quietly blaming her emotions for such an impulsive reaction.

"Heh..." She glanced up from his jacket and watched as he braced his hands on his knees, then pushed himself up with a groan. "Welp, now that you're settled, think I'm gonna go find your friend. You comin' with, or should I go it alone?" Then, as if realizing something, he stopped short, smacking a hand to his forehead. "Ah, shit, you have their number, right? Maybe you can tell 'em you're out here and they can come get ya?"

Doll was grateful for the distance and, even as she winced at the painful pop from her knees as she stood, for being short for once as she remained hidden in his coat. At his questions, she peeked up at him and nodded slowly, ignoring the way something in her twisted at the motion. "I do, and... and I can. Thank you, again. I-I really appreciate it." Going back inside was something she didn’t think she’d feel safe with, not with how drained she felt or the man still inside there.

Just as she was going into her coat for her phone, a notification shouted from her phone, _PICK UP THE PHONE, SUGARTITS!_ She froze like a deer in the headlights, then, just as it was about to go off again, she dug out the offending device and unlocked the screen. 

**[Ave]: where r u**

**[Ave]: r u ok**

**[Ave]: do i need 2 kill sm1**

**[Ave]: r u sxing**

The strangled squeak that escaped Doll at the messages followed the contemplative stare she gave it. She could get a new phone if she broke it... right? 

**[Ave]: ur sxing**

**[Ave]: answer plz**

**[Doll]: omfg**

**[Doll]: stahp**

**[Doll]: i'm not sexing**

**[Doll]: i'm outside rn**

**[Ave]: y**

**[Doll]: panic attack, stan took me outside before it got too bad**

**[Ave]: brt**

**[Ave]: also whos stan**

**[Ave]: did u smooch him**

**[Doll]: ilu but i will end you with a spork**

**[Ave]: ilu2**

She groaned and attempted to hide further into Stan's coat before she'd have to return it. Hopefully, Avery would be nice to the older man—Doll snorted at the thought, this was her best friend she was thinking about. She'd skin him alive, put it back on him, and threaten his life, then ask him over for dinner.

"Doll," a familiar voice hollered. "Wherefore art thou, Princess Sugarpop?"

Doll turned around just as Avery turned the corner, her bun half undone and flopping as she power walked over to them. "Ave!"

"Honey-cakes!" The taller woman grinned down at her, her eyes darting from her to the coat to Stan and back again. She pulled her close, squeezing her tightly and pressing a kiss to her hair. "Fuck, ya alright? What 'caused it? Ya take your anti yet, or ya just wanna head back t'the hotel?"

"I'm... I'm better now," she told Avery, returning the hug and offering her a shrug. "Er... some dude? Stan helped, Ave; before and after. I mean, heading back is..." Doll paused and shrugged. "Sleep sounds good?"

"Aight. Good thin' we're all paid up." Avery squeezed her again, forcing a huff of air from her lungs, before releasing her and raking her eyes over Stan slowly. She was much taller than Doll was, and that wasn't counting the two-inch heels she was wearing, but it wasn't hard for anyone to be taller than the younger woman. "So, ya helped the cupcake out? First thin's first, thank ya kindly for that. Second, name's Avery. Avery Goodfellow. And yours?"

"Stan Pines. S'good t' meet such a _good fellow_ , heheh." After the little joke, an attempt to lighten the mood, he chuckled. "Sorry, habit. Anyway, no need to thank me, just doin' what seemed right."

Avery snorted at the pun as she used the shorter woman as a makeshift armrest, much to her dismay. "Cute habit," she drawled. "Can't say I've heard that one in an age, and still better than what Doll came up with. What was it again?"

Doll let out a quiet huff and muttered, "It's _a very_ nice to meet you."

"See?" She chuckled. "Puns aside, there's reason t'thank ya right there; ya did it 'cause it seemed _right._ S'thank ya kindly, again, for helpin' the squirt out and havin' a grasp on that rare ass thin' called decency." Avery eyed Stan again, thoughtfully this time. "Hey, ya still gonna be in the area tomorrow? Wouldn't be 'gainst treatin' a ya t'a meal if y'are, as a thanks, of course."

Stan snorted at the pun and shook his head slowly. “Me, my brother, an’ his partner are settin’ back out tomorrow morin’. Won’t say no to a raincheck if we meet up again, though.”

“Sounds like a plan, m’dude,” Avery agreed. “Ya got sugarcookie’s digits?” She shook her head and, with one hand, fished out a pad of lavender Post It-Notes and a plain, black pen. She, faster than Doll could protest or Stan could speak up, scratched out a pair of numbers; one assigned Avery’s name and another with Doll’s. “Here ya go. Give a ring when ya wanna call in the date.”

“Ave,” Doll whispered hurriedly as Stan took the slip of paper, “I already gave him mine.”

The taller woman glanced down at her with a grin splitting her face. “Ya don’t say, eh? Aw, you’re growin’ up so fast; just yesterday, ya couldn’t even ask the cutie in blue for directions, and now ya traded numbers with a handsome stranger in a bar.” She wiped away a fake tear, sniffled dramatically, and busted out snickering. “I am such a bad influence on ya, and I love it.”

Doll whimpered. Stars, she was going to die of embarrassment long before she’d collapse from exhaustion. “Can… can we go?”

“Yeah, yeah, teacup.” Avery slipped her arm from her head and curled it around Doll’s waist, chuckling to herself. “We can go… after ya give Pines back his jacket.”

Her cheeks heated as she glanced over at a bemused Stan. “Ah…” She reluctantly shed his jacket, taking one last breath of the unique scent clinging to the leather, and handed it back to him. “Th-thank you, Stan. I… I really appreciated your help.”

He slipped his jacket back on, stuffing the folded number into his pocket, and, without hesitation, ruffled her hair with his free hand. He glanced at his hand, then stuffed it into his pocket and looked away from her. She wondered if she was seeing right, if the light coloring wasn’t just from the club lights filtering towards them. “No problem, toots. You rest well, alright?”

Doll ducked her head, trying and failing miserably to hide behind her bangs as her cheeks colored further. Did that really just happen? Did he really just do that? A dull jab in her side tugged her from her thoughts, and she frowned at Avery.

'Answer,' she mouthed slowly as she glanced over at Stan.

"You—" Doll stopped and cleared her throat. "You, too, sir."

And, within a space of a breath, a subtle, awkward kind of tension slipped into the air. Stan shifted his weight slightly and scratched at the grey stubble on his face, the smile on his face dimming down to a small, somewhat-strained half-smile. "I'll... see ya ladies 'round."

"B-bye, Stan!"

"Buh-bye for now," Avery called after him as he turned and started to walk away from the pair. She tugged Doll closer, then ushered her back to their parked Jeep. "Didja enjoy yourself while ya could?"

"Mhm..." Doll hummed tiredly. "I danced. Lots. Stan's the best."

"Yeah? And didja dance with anybody else?"

She shook her head. "Nuh-uh. He felt... nice? Not bad."

"That so?" Avery pressed the unlock button on the keys as they walked to the passenger side, then opened the door for her. "Up ya get, li'l bit." She waited for Doll to situate herself before walking back to the driver's side, before continuing, "Why ya say that, huh?"

Shrugging, she yawned loudly. "Dunno. He just felt nice. Safe?"

"Aight, aight. Ya get some sleep, Doll. I'll wake ya when we get there."

Doll nodded again, suddenly aware how heavy her eyelids felt and how comfortable the seat beneath her was. She pulled off her glasses and set them in the cup-holder with another yawn. As the engine rumbled to life, classic rock blared through the radio, she jolted, and Avery uttered a colorful string of curses.

"Sleep," she said after turning the radio down. "Sweet dreams, baby sis."

"Nigh', Ave..."

**Author's Note:**

> In fact, Brit (life_sans_sin) and I have a blog for all our prompt responses if you guys wanna check it out or leave some asks! If you click [This Link,](https://pining-for-pines.tumblr.com/) you'll be sent there for sure! If not, the straight link is: https://pining-for-pines.tumblr.com/


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